14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, October 13, 2015 in Eaton, CO
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/04/2016
Aircraft: BEECH G35, registration: N394CW
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The commercial-rated pilot and passenger (who owned the airplane) were conducting a cross-country business flight. Several witnesses reported observing the accident airplane overhead; one witness stated that the engine made a “sputtering” sound like it was running out of gas. She stated that airplane was flying north and then turned west when it began to “nose dive” out of sight. A review of the radar data revealed that the airplane approached the destination airport from the southeast and proceeded north, tracking above the runway about 400 ft above ground level (agl). The airplane then climbed to 900 ft agl and continued northbound. About 8 miles north of the destination airport, the airplane was about 1,100 ft agl and then entered a left turn and descended. The last radar point showed the airplane on a southwest heading and about 350 ft agl. The airplane impacted the ground with its left wing low, cartwheeled to the right, and came to rest upright in a harvested corn field. The main wreckage was found about 460 ft southwest of the last radar point.
The accident airplane likely encountered low-level wind shear and clear air turbulence and a wind shift that switched from a gusting headwind to a gusting tailwind in a short amount of time.
The right main fuel tank, which the selector valve indicated was selected at the time of the accident, was found empty and was not breached. The engine carburetor did not contain any fuel. A postaccident examination of the engine and airframe did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot reported that the main tanks were full and the tip tanks were empty, so it is likely that the airplane contained 60 gallons of fuel before departure. The radar data revealed that the accident flight was 3 hours 16 and minutes long. Based on the accident flight, the engine would have consumed about 40 gallons of fuel from initial taxi to the accident site. This should have left about 20 gallons remaining in the tanks, which would have been enough to fly to the destination airport in addition to reserve fuel. The accident airplane was equipped with a single fuel quantity indicator gauge for the six fuel tanks; only one tank could be monitored at any given time. Switches on the instrument panel allowed the pilot to select which tank to monitor on the gauge. The pilot and airplane’s new owner had limited experience in the airplane and with the airplane fuel indicating system, so they likely had the fuel indicator selected to another fuel tank and did not appropriately monitor the level of fuel in the right main tank, which was selected to feed the engine. Based on witness statements and the evidence obtained on-scene, it is likely that the engine was starved of available fuel. Once engine power was lost, the pilot then failed to maintain control of the airplane while flying in gusting wind and low-level wind shear conditions.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's loss of airplane control in gusting wind conditions and low-level wind shear, following a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to properly monitor the fuel level inflight because of his unfamiliarity with the fuel system.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On October 13, 2015, at 1134 mountain daylight time (MDT), a Beech G35 airplane, N394CW, collided with terrain near Eaton, Colorado. The commercial rated pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Lyons-Rice County Municipal Airport (LYO), Lyons, Kansas, at 0918 central daylight time (CDT) and was destined for the Greeley-Weld County Airport (GXY), Greeley, Colorado.
The LYO airport manager stated that the accident airplane was purchased by a new owner on October 10, 2015, who rented a hangar at LYO to store the airplane. On the morning of the accident the owner arrived at LYO about 0800. The airport manager helped the owner pull the airplane out of the hangar and service the main fuel tanks with a total of 17.4 gallons of 100 low-lead fuel. The new owner had never moved or fueled the airplane. The manager added that the accident pilot was not present during the fueling process. The pilot and the owner departed after 0900 and were flying to GXY for a meeting.
Several witnesses reported observing the accident airplane overhead and the engine made a "sputtering" sound as if it was running out of fuel. The airplane was flying north and then turned west when it began to "nose dive" out of sight. The witnesses found the airplane crashed in a harvested corn field.
A review of the radar information revealed the airplane departed LYO at 0918 CDT and proceeded northwest. At 1127 MDT the airplane approached GXY from the southeast and proceeded north, tracking about 400 ft agl above the runway. The airplane climbed to 900 ft agl and continued northbound. About 8 miles north of GXY the airplane was about 1,100 ft agl, then entered a left turn and descended. At 1134 MDT, the last radar point showed the airplane on a southwest heading about 350 ft agl. The main wreckage was found about 460 ft from the last radar point on a heading of 215 degrees.
About 1130 MDT, two GXY airport employees heard an expletive on the universal communications (UNICOM) radio. There were no other transmissions or formal contact over the UNICOM radio.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot, age 35, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land, multi-engine land, and airplane single engine sea and instrument airplane. He also held flight instructor certificate with a rating for single engine airplane. On March 13, 2014, the pilot received a first class Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certificate with no limitations; however, it was valid as a third class medical certificate at the time of the accident. At the time of the exam, the pilot reported his flight experience included 290.9 total hours with 50.8 hours in the last six months.
A review of the pilot's logbooks revealed that his total flight experience included 464 total hours, 131 hours in the accident airplane make and model, 24.3 hours in the last 30 days, 1.5 of which were in the accident airplane.
The pilot's wife stated that he planned to fly the airplane owner to GXY for a meeting and believed that the accident flight was not an instructional flight, only a business flight.
The passenger (airplane owner), age 41, submitted an application for a combined student pilot certificate and third class medical certificate on March 6, 2013; the pilot was not issued that certificate. On the application for the certificate he did not report any flight experience; however, a previous medical application that was submitted on February 11, 2000, listed 5 total hours with 0 hours in last six months.
The owner's wife stated that he was not a pilot and had not yet started flight training.
An LYO airport employee who interacted with the owner and accident pilot stated that the owner was to begin flight lessons with the accident pilot in the future.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The Beech G35 Bonanza, serial number D-4863, was a four place, low wing, high performance airplane with retractable landing gear and was manufactured in 1956. The airplane was equipped with a Continental Motors E225-8 engine, which drove a two-bladed, constant speed metal Hartzell propeller.
A review of the airplane's logbooks revealed that on May 7, 2015, an airframe annual inspection was completed at a total time of 5,091 hours. Also, a 100-hour inspection was completed on the engine and propeller at a tachometer time of 778.60 hours.
The airplane was still registered to the previous owner because the updated registration paperwork had not been filed with the FAA.
The previous airplane owner stated that on October, 10, 2014, the new owner and the accident pilot retrieved the airplane after the sale was complete and flew the airplane to LYO. He noted that the main and auxiliary fuel tanks were full of 100 low-lead fuel, and the wing tip tanks were empty. The airplane was equipped with a dual control arm with a control yoke installed on the left side and no yoke installed on the right side. The original throw over yoke was disconnected, but remained in the airplane; the push-to-talk button remained functional.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
The accident pilot requested and received a Lockheed Martin Flight Services (LMFS) online weather briefing at 1630 MDT on October 12. The LMFS online weather briefing contained all the standard weather information and forecast valid from 1630 MDT on October 12. The weather forecast products such as Airmen's Meteorological Information (AIRMETs) and Area Forecast were only valid through 2100 MDT on October 12 (AIRMET) or 0100 MDT on October 13 (Area Forecast). There was no record of the accident pilot receiving or retrieving any other weather information before or during the accident flight.
An NTSB Meteorologist produced an official Weather Study Report based on the local weather conditions around the time of the accident. The report can be found in the public docket. The information below has been summarized from the Weather Study Report.
At 1115 MDT, the GXY weather station reported wind from 340° at 14 knots with gusts to 19 knots, 10 miles visibility, clear skies below 12,000 ft agl, temperature 26° C, dew point -3° C, and an altimeter setting of 30.21 inches of mercury.
At 1135 MDT, the GXY weather station reported wind from 340° at 9 knots with gusts to 16 knots, 10 miles visibility, clear skies below 12,000 ft agl, temperature of 26° C, dew point temperature of -4° C, and an altimeter setting of 30.21 inches of mercury.
About the accident time, several pilot reports (PIREPs) were submitted near the accident area and mostly characterized the turbulence as extreme-severe and moderate in some cases.
An AIRMET Tango was issued at 0845 MDT and was valid for the accident site at the accident time. The AIRMET forecasted moderate turbulence below flight level 180.
The weather observations from GXY indicated visual flight rules (VFR) ceilings at the surface at the time of the accident with no visibility restrictions. The surface wind was gusting at GXY with wind between 10 and 20 knots and a varying wind direction switching from a surface wind from the northwest to a surface wind from the northeast, and to the east by 1335 MDT. A frontal boundary at the surface moved southwest across the accident area and this frontal boundary was a focus area for low-level wind shear (LLWS) and turbulence.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The accident site was a harvested corn field about 8 miles north of GXY, latitude 40°33'55.52" N / longitude 104°39'16.60" W, elevation 4,843 ft mean sea level (msl).
The wreckage path was defined by three distinct impact points and then the main wreckage oriented on a 230 degree heading. The first impact point was a long thin impact area with pieces of red glass near the far left side. The next impact point was a crater surrounded by airplane debris and broken windscreen; the dirt was disturbed toward the main wreckage. The final impact point was a long thin impact area with pieces of green glass near the far right side. The airplane came to rest upright about 45 ft from the impact crater and was orientated on a heading of 303 degrees. Airplane debris was found in the wreckage path from the initial impact point to the main wreckage and in the immediate surrounding area. All major components of the airplane were found at the accident site.
The windscreen was broken and pieces were found in the main wreckage. The nose keel structure, with the engine partially attached, separated from the fuselage bottom. The keel and engine were inverted and under the right wing. The right wing remained attached the fuselage and was distorted upward near mid-span and the right wing tip was separated. The right main landing gear assembly was extended and the right inboard landing gear door was closed. The left wing was impact damaged and the outboard half was separated; the inboard section remained attached to the fuselage. The left main landing gear assembly was collapsed into the external side of the closed inboard landing gear door. The rear fuselage was found buckled to the left. The empennage and flight control surfaces were not visibly damaged. The cabin door was found separated.
The dual flight control arm was found impact separated in the wreckage. A single control yoke was found next to the control arm and separated. A throw over yoke was found in the wreckage path with blue tape covering the installation mount. The aileron chain was separated from aileron sprocket, which remained attached to the backside of the firewall. The aileron control cables remained attached to chain links. The left aileron bell crank balance arm was separated. The right aileron bell crank remained intact. The elevator control cable remained attached to the control column. The rudder cables remained attached to the forward rudder bell crank. The rudder and elevator flight controls located in the rear fuselage remained intact and attached to the control surfaces.
The fuel mixture, throttle, and propeller control knobs were observed in a full forward position. The selector valve was positioned to the right main tank. The fuel quantity indicator switches were impact damaged and their positions could not be determined. The right wing was elevated due to the right main landing gear being extended and the left main landing gear being collapsed. An examination of the fuel tank revealed the following fuel quantities:
Right MAIN — Empty (20 gallon capacity)
Right AUX — 4 to 4.5 gallons of fuel (10 gallon capacity)
Right TIP – Empty (15 gallon capacity)
Left MAIN — 1 gallon of fuel, tank was breached (20 gallon capacity)
Left AUX — Tank was breached and empty (10 gallon capacity)
Left TIP – Empty, tank was separated and breached (15 gallon capacity)
Note: each AUX tank should contain the same quantity of fuel, since the outputs are interconnected.
The engine was manually rotated and all six cylinders produced suction and compression. The crankshaft appeared to be undamaged. Continuity was established by manually rotating the engine and observing timing gear, magneto and camshaft rotation. When rotated by hand, both magnetos produced sparks at each ignition lead. A lighted borescope inspection was performed and all exhaust and intake valves were intact. When compared to a Champion "Check A Plug" chart, sparkplugs from the No. 1 cylinder were "worn out severe", while sparkplugs from Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 exhibited normal wear signatures. The carburetor was intact with damage noted to the mounting flange. The fuel screen was removed and a small quantity of contamination was noted. No fuel was found in carburetor. The carburetor throttle control and mixture arms remained attached and secured. The engine driven fuel pump was separated from the accessory case and remained attached by a fuel hose. The fuel pump housing was impact damaged and could not be rotated. The drive coupling and gear were not observed.
The two propeller blades were designated A and B for documentation purposes only. Blade A remained attached to the propeller hub, but was loose in the hub assembly. The blade displayed scratching and scoring on the cambered face and a smooth rearward bending signature beginning about 16 inches from the blade root. Blade B separated from the hub and exhibited a smooth forward bending signature beginning about eight inches from the blade hub. There was a deep gouge on the trailing edge about five inches from the blade tip.
The postaccident examination of the engine and airframe did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
On October 14, 2015, an autopsy was performed on the pilot at the Weld County Coroner's Office, Loveland, Colorado. The cause of death was listed as multiple blunt force injuries and the manner of death was ruled an accident. The FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute completed a Final Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report which was negative for tested-for-drugs.
On October 14, 2015, an autopsy was performed on the passenger at the Weld County Coroner's Office, Loveland, Colorado. The cause of death was listed as multiple blunt force injuries and the manner of death was ruled an accident. The FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute completed a Final Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report which was negative for tested-for-drugs.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Electronic Devices
An iPad, iPhone, and Dual SkyPro XGPS160 were recovered from the accident site and sent to NTSB Recorders Laboratory for examination and download.
• The iPad was impact damaged and data recovery was not possible.
• The iPhone contained a ForeFlight application which revealed a route "KLYO KGXY" on the device screen. The distance computed by ForeFlight for the route was 322 nautical miles, a time enroute of 2 hours and 28 minutes, and a fuel consumption of 24.7 gallons.
• When the iPhone was observed at the accident site it was on and the ForeFlight screen was shown. At that time the distance computed by ForeFlight for the route was 322 nautical miles, a time enroute of 2 hours and 32 minutes, a fuel consumption of 25.9 gallons, airspeed 150 mph, and a fuel consumption rate of 10 gallons per hour (gph).
• Data from the Dual SkyPro XGPS160, a battery powered GPS receiver, was downloaded normally and revealed a flight log from September 17, 2015, and was not pertinent to the investigation.
Fuel Quantity Indicator
The accident airplane was equipped with a single fuel quantity indicator gauge. Switches on the instrument panel allowed the pilot to select which tank to monitor on the gauge. Only one tank could be monitored at any given time.
Fuel Consumption
The previous owner stated that he told the accident pilot and owner to set the engine to 2,350 rpm and 23.5 inches of manifold pressure (MP) which would yield fuel consumption about 12 gph. He also told them to begin flying on the left tank for 1 hour and 15 minutes, switch to right tank for 1 hour and 20 minutes, then to the aux tanks for 1 hour and 15 minutes. He stated that this method would keep the fuel even in the tanks.
On October 10, 2105, the accident pilot flew the owner in the accident airplane to LYO after the airplane was purchased. The flight time was 1.5 hours and 17.4 gallons were consumed. This yielded a fuel consumption rate of 11.6 gph.
NTSB Identification: CEN16FA011
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, October 13, 2015 in Eaton, CO
Aircraft: BEECH G35, registration: N394CW
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On October 13, 2015, at 1134 mountain daylight time (MDT), a Beech G35 airplane, N394CW, collided with terrain near Eaton, Colorado. The commercial pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Lyons-Rice County Municipal Airport (LYO), Lyons, Kansas, at 0918 central daylight time (CDT) and was destined for the Greeley-Weld County Airport (GXY), Greeley, Colorado.
The owner purchased the airplane on October 10, 2015, and rented a hangar at LYO to store the airplane. On the morning of the accident the owner arrived at LYO about 0800. The airport manager helped the owner pull the airplane out of the hangar and service the main fuel tanks with a total of 17.4 gallons of 100 low-lead fuel. The owner and the pilot departed after 0900 and were flying to GXY for a meeting.
A review of preliminary radar data revealed at 0918 CDT the airplane departed LYO and proceeded northwest. At 1127 MDT the airplane approached GXY from the southeast and proceeded north. About 8 miles north of GXY the airplane entered a left turn and descended. At 1134 MDT, the last radar point showed the airplane descending on a southwest heading.
An examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane collided with the ground in a nose low attitude and came to rest on a heading of 303 degrees. The wreckage path was aligned on a heading of 230 degrees and included three distinct impact marks; the first contained red colored glass consistent with a left wing impact, the second was a larger crater that contained pieces of the windscreen and fiberglass consistent with an engine impact, and the third contained green colored glass consistent with a right wing impact. The engine was mostly detached from the airframe and came to rest inverted. The airplane was equipped with a two-bladed propeller; one blade remained attached and the other blade separated from the propeller hub.
An iPad and iPhone with the ForeFlight mobile application were recovered from the accident site and sent to NTSB Recorders Laboratory for examination and download.
At 1135 MDT, the local weather observation for GXY reported wind from 340 at 9 knots gusting to 16 knots, 10 miles visibility, clear sky, temperature 79° F, dew point 25° F, and altimeter 30.21 inches of mercury.
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Denver FSDO-03
Any witnesses should email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.
Jared Langston and his family.
Jared Langston and his sons.
GoFundMe pages have been established for both families. You can donate using the links below:
Jared Langston: https://www.gofundme.com/7z6cp7ns
Ben Bates: https://www.gofundme.com/batesfamily
WELD COUNTY, Colo. - Eyewitness News has confirmed that two men killed in a Colorado plane crash Tuesday were from Kansas.
Family members confirmed the identities of the two men Wednesday afternoon. The men have been identified as 35-year-old Jared Langston, of Holyrood and 41-year-old Ben Bates of Lyons. Family members tell Eyewitness News Langston was piloting the plane when it went down.
The men were killed in the crash late Tuesday morning in Weld County, Colo.
Langston's mother said her son is a veteran of the United States Air Force and was a volunteer firefighter. He leaves behind a wife and two sons. His wife, Allison Langston, spoke with Eyewitness News and said her husband had a heart of service and was always going out of his way to help someone.
"He was my best friend and he was just wonderful father and husband," Allison said. "He cared so much about the people around him, he just touched everyone he met."
Bates' wife, Angie, said her husband was the bishop at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Great Bend. Bates had six children. His wife said Ben had just bought the Beechcraft G35 Bonanza from Langston, who was going to teach him how to fly.
"It's always been his dream," Angie said. "It's always been his dream to be able to fly and he was just going to start taking lessons."
Angie described her Bates as a family man and a great example for everyone in his family, church and community.
"He was beloved by all of them and he will be greatly missed. He's a wonderful father," Angie said. "His family was his life."
Ault — Investigators from Denver and Dallas will investigate a Tuesday afternoon plane crash east of Ault that killed two people.
Weld County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a plane crash at 11:37 a.m. Tuesday in a field near Weld County roads 80 and 43. The two occupants, who have not yet been identified, were both pronounced dead at the scene, according to a sheriff’s office news release. The cause of the crash is unknown.
Allen Kenitzer, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, identified the plane as a Beach 35 Bonanza. Investigators from the FAA and from the National Transportation Safety Board will conduct the crash investigation, Kenitzer said.
The plane was too damaged to clearly read its identification number, known to the FAA as an N-number. However, by process of elimination the Tribune found a Beechcraft Model 35G aircraft, which bears common visual characteristics with the destroyed plane, was registered to owners out of Russell, Kan.
Late Tuesday, deputies continued to maintain a perimeter near the crash site — an empty field about 5 miles east of Ault — as they awaited the arrival of federal investigators. The FAA assigned officials from its Flight Standards District Office in Denver, while NTSB investigators were en route from Dallas.
The field encompasses about a half-mile by half-mile tract of land between Weld roads 43 and 45, and Weld 78 and 80. The Bonanza crashed about a quarter-mile south of Weld 80 in the middle of a field. The plane sat on the ground in a crumpled mass, with the front end completely destroyed and blackened.
Also responding to the scene was the Ault-Pierce Fire Department. Firefighters also remained at the scene late Tuesday afternoon.
The Bonanza is a single-engine, four-seat aircraft with a cruising speed of 200 mph and a range of 530 nautical miles. The Model 35 was produced from 1947 until 1982 by Beechcraft Aircraft Corp. based in Wichita, Kan.
No other details were available Tuesday, Kenitzer said.
Sources:
http://www.greeleytribune.com
http://www.9news.com
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Tuesday, October 13, 2015 in Eaton, CO
Aircraft: BEECH G35, registration: N394CW
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On October 13, 2015, at 1134 mountain daylight time (MDT), a Beech G35 airplane, N394CW, collided with terrain near Eaton, Colorado. The commercial pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Lyons-Rice County Municipal Airport (LYO), Lyons, Kansas, at 0918 central daylight time (CDT) and was destined for the Greeley-Weld County Airport (GXY), Greeley, Colorado.
The owner purchased the airplane on October 10, 2015, and rented a hangar at LYO to store the airplane. On the morning of the accident the owner arrived at LYO about 0800. The airport manager helped the owner pull the airplane out of the hangar and service the main fuel tanks with a total of 17.4 gallons of 100 low-lead fuel. The owner and the pilot departed after 0900 and were flying to GXY for a meeting.
A review of preliminary radar data revealed at 0918 CDT the airplane departed LYO and proceeded northwest. At 1127 MDT the airplane approached GXY from the southeast and proceeded north. About 8 miles north of GXY the airplane entered a left turn and descended. At 1134 MDT, the last radar point showed the airplane descending on a southwest heading.
An examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane collided with the ground in a nose low attitude and came to rest on a heading of 303 degrees. The wreckage path was aligned on a heading of 230 degrees and included three distinct impact marks; the first contained red colored glass consistent with a left wing impact, the second was a larger crater that contained pieces of the windscreen and fiberglass consistent with an engine impact, and the third contained green colored glass consistent with a right wing impact. The engine was mostly detached from the airframe and came to rest inverted. The airplane was equipped with a two-bladed propeller; one blade remained attached and the other blade separated from the propeller hub.
An iPad and iPhone with the ForeFlight mobile application were recovered from the accident site and sent to NTSB Recorders Laboratory for examination and download.
At 1135 MDT, the local weather observation for GXY reported wind from 340 at 9 knots gusting to 16 knots, 10 miles visibility, clear sky, temperature 79° F, dew point 25° F, and altimeter 30.21 inches of mercury.
FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Denver FSDO-03
Any witnesses should email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.
Ben Bates and his family.
GoFundMe pages have been established for both families. You can donate using the links below:
Jared Langston: https://www.gofundme.com/7z6cp7ns
Ben Bates: https://www.gofundme.com/batesfamily
WELD COUNTY, Colo. - Eyewitness News has confirmed that two men killed in a Colorado plane crash Tuesday were from Kansas.
Family members confirmed the identities of the two men Wednesday afternoon. The men have been identified as 35-year-old Jared Langston, of Holyrood and 41-year-old Ben Bates of Lyons. Family members tell Eyewitness News Langston was piloting the plane when it went down.
The men were killed in the crash late Tuesday morning in Weld County, Colo.
Langston's mother said her son is a veteran of the United States Air Force and was a volunteer firefighter. He leaves behind a wife and two sons. His wife, Allison Langston, spoke with Eyewitness News and said her husband had a heart of service and was always going out of his way to help someone.
"He was my best friend and he was just wonderful father and husband," Allison said. "He cared so much about the people around him, he just touched everyone he met."
Bates' wife, Angie, said her husband was the bishop at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Great Bend. Bates had six children. His wife said Ben had just bought the Beechcraft G35 Bonanza from Langston, who was going to teach him how to fly.
"It's always been his dream," Angie said. "It's always been his dream to be able to fly and he was just going to start taking lessons."
Angie described her Bates as a family man and a great example for everyone in his family, church and community.
"He was beloved by all of them and he will be greatly missed. He's a wonderful father," Angie said. "His family was his life."
Benjamin Bates, top right, with his family.
The two people aboard a Beechcraft G35 Bonanza plane that crashed in a field east of Ault Tuesday have been identified as leaders in the Great Bend Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kansas, according to church officials.
Weld County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a plane crash at 11:37 a.m. Tuesday in a field near Weld County roads 80 and 43, about 10 miles northeast of Greeley.
The pilot was identified as Jared Langston, 35, of Holyrood, Kan. A happily married man and father to two boys, Langston served the church in many capacities, including Elders Quorum president and Young Men president, said Peter Solie, a communications and journalism instructor at Barton Community College in Great Bend, Kan., who also served as Langston’s first counselor.
Langston studied aviation at Kansas State University in Salina and aspired to become a commercial airline pilot. In addition to being a flight instructor based at Salina Regional Airport, Langston also was a military veteran and a volunteer with the Holyrood Fire Department, Solie said.
Flying with Langston was Benjamin Bates, 41, of rural Lyons, Kan., who for about the last two years served as bishop of the Great Bend Ward, Solie said. He owned Westcrete, Inc., a cement contracting company that specializes in commercial-sized structures for the agricultural industry, such as large chicken coops. Bates was working on a construction project about two miles east of Platteville.
Also happily married and a father to six children — three sons and three daughters — Bates was a caring and compassionate leader who loved his family, loved the Lord and the people he served knew he loved them, Solie said.
“As members of the church, we will miss them very much,” Solie said. “But we know that through the sacrifice of our savior Jesus Christ, they will have salvation and they will be reunited with their families in the future.”
The plane was a Beechcraft Model 35 Bonanza registered to Larry and Julie Bernard of Russell, Kan. Solie said he does not know the Bernards, and doesn’t think they are affiliated with the Great Bend Ward.
The cause of the crash is unknown and remains under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.
Terry Williams, spokesman for NTSB, said Wednesday the Bonanza had been moved from the crash site to a secure location where investigators will perform a thorough examination of the wreckage, including the engines. NTSB investigators also will look into Langston’s background and training, as well as the aircraft’s maintenance records.
However, a probable cause of the crash won’t be available until NTSB investigators submit their final report, which takes about a year on average to complete, Williams said.
Weld County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a plane crash at 11:37 a.m. Tuesday in a field near Weld County roads 80 and 43, about 10 miles northeast of Greeley.
The pilot was identified as Jared Langston, 35, of Holyrood, Kan. A happily married man and father to two boys, Langston served the church in many capacities, including Elders Quorum president and Young Men president, said Peter Solie, a communications and journalism instructor at Barton Community College in Great Bend, Kan., who also served as Langston’s first counselor.
Langston studied aviation at Kansas State University in Salina and aspired to become a commercial airline pilot. In addition to being a flight instructor based at Salina Regional Airport, Langston also was a military veteran and a volunteer with the Holyrood Fire Department, Solie said.
Flying with Langston was Benjamin Bates, 41, of rural Lyons, Kan., who for about the last two years served as bishop of the Great Bend Ward, Solie said. He owned Westcrete, Inc., a cement contracting company that specializes in commercial-sized structures for the agricultural industry, such as large chicken coops. Bates was working on a construction project about two miles east of Platteville.
Also happily married and a father to six children — three sons and three daughters — Bates was a caring and compassionate leader who loved his family, loved the Lord and the people he served knew he loved them, Solie said.
“As members of the church, we will miss them very much,” Solie said. “But we know that through the sacrifice of our savior Jesus Christ, they will have salvation and they will be reunited with their families in the future.”
The plane was a Beechcraft Model 35 Bonanza registered to Larry and Julie Bernard of Russell, Kan. Solie said he does not know the Bernards, and doesn’t think they are affiliated with the Great Bend Ward.
The cause of the crash is unknown and remains under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.
Terry Williams, spokesman for NTSB, said Wednesday the Bonanza had been moved from the crash site to a secure location where investigators will perform a thorough examination of the wreckage, including the engines. NTSB investigators also will look into Langston’s background and training, as well as the aircraft’s maintenance records.
However, a probable cause of the crash won’t be available until NTSB investigators submit their final report, which takes about a year on average to complete, Williams said.
Weld County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a plane crash at 11:37 a.m. Tuesday in a field near Weld County roads 80 and 43. The two occupants, who have not yet been identified, were both pronounced dead at the scene, according to a sheriff’s office news release. The cause of the crash is unknown.
Allen Kenitzer, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, identified the plane as a Beach 35 Bonanza. Investigators from the FAA and from the National Transportation Safety Board will conduct the crash investigation, Kenitzer said.
The plane was too damaged to clearly read its identification number, known to the FAA as an N-number. However, by process of elimination the Tribune found a Beechcraft Model 35G aircraft, which bears common visual characteristics with the destroyed plane, was registered to owners out of Russell, Kan.
Late Tuesday, deputies continued to maintain a perimeter near the crash site — an empty field about 5 miles east of Ault — as they awaited the arrival of federal investigators. The FAA assigned officials from its Flight Standards District Office in Denver, while NTSB investigators were en route from Dallas.
The field encompasses about a half-mile by half-mile tract of land between Weld roads 43 and 45, and Weld 78 and 80. The Bonanza crashed about a quarter-mile south of Weld 80 in the middle of a field. The plane sat on the ground in a crumpled mass, with the front end completely destroyed and blackened.
Also responding to the scene was the Ault-Pierce Fire Department. Firefighters also remained at the scene late Tuesday afternoon.
The Bonanza is a single-engine, four-seat aircraft with a cruising speed of 200 mph and a range of 530 nautical miles. The Model 35 was produced from 1947 until 1982 by Beechcraft Aircraft Corp. based in Wichita, Kan.
No other details were available Tuesday, Kenitzer said.
Sources:
http://www.greeleytribune.com
http://www.9news.com
Jared Langston, left, posses with his wife.
From pics, appears landing gear extended, possible attempted emergency landing gone terrible wrong with in-flight wing stall and without recovery altitude.
ReplyDelete@gretna: Agreed. Landing gear appear extended; location of crash a (very) large, flat field....Seems likely an emergency landing was attempted. Local papers report the pilot had over 1,000 hrs---not a newbie. Very sad.
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